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PR best practices are not static — they are constantly evolving. Tactics that worked even a year ago may not be effective today, and who knows what journalists and analysts will look for next year? In recent years, PR professionals have had to adapt to a world in which news disseminates in real-time via social media, and influencers often carry more weight than journalists.
In this fast-paced environment, it’s critical to stay informed of trends and statistics, as they can inform your ongoing PR strategy and activities. Here are some interesting — and helpful — statistics we’ve found.
On Pitching
When it comes to pitching, the medium matters. According to 2019 research by Muck Rack, 93% of journalists prefer to be pitched over email, and 65% prefer to receive pitch emails before 11:00 a.m.
Keep your pitch short and to the point. According to Buzzfeed, 88% of writers prefer a pitch to be less than 200 words.
Relationships matter. Buzzfeed reports that 64% of writers and editors say having a relationship with the person sending a pitch letter is “somewhat important” to “very important.”
On Press Releases
Show don’t just tell. Today’s journalists want to see your story, not just read about it. According to Newswire, press releases that include an image are 7X more likely to be covered by the media, and a video boosts chances of coverage by 14X.
Timing is critical. Prowly reports that the best time to send a press release is between 10:00 a.m. and 2:00 p.m., which is the window in which editors open about a third of all their emails. Open rates drop in the early morning by 20.5%.
On Integrated Marketing and PR
Does your PR agency have marketing savvy? Despite the increasingly integrated nature of PR and marketing, only 19% of pr and communications companies contribute to marketing strategy.
Public relations as a discipline is expanding. Today, PR pros are social media experts, content marketers and more. In fact, 87% of PR executives believe “public relations” won’t describe the work they do in five years.
Are reporters your most important audience? Influencers often pull more weight when it comes to persuading consumers. That’s why in 2020, Influencer Marketing is a $10 billion industry
On Digital Channels
Reporters have gone digital. According to Muck Rack’s State of Journalism report, 60% of reporters check digital newspapers and magazines first, and 22% go straight to Twitter for news and information.
Twitter dominates the social channels. Muck Rack also reports that 83% of journalists list Twitter as the most valuable social media platform.
Want help capitalizing on these trends? Contact us today to get started.